East façade of the City Palace, Udaipur

Photograph of the east façade City Palace, Udaipur, taken by O.S. Baudesson in c.1882, from the Archaeological Survey of India Collections . Udaipur was founded by Udai Singh (r.1567-72) as the fourth and last capital of the Mewar State, and is situated in a valley containing three lakes: Lake Pichola, the Fateh Sagar and the Umaid Sagar. The colossal City Palace is located on the east bank of Lake Pichola. It was begun by Udai Singh but dates mainly from the 17th and 18th centuries. It consists of a series of buildings faced in white plaster with steep, fortified windowless walls rising to meet tiers of balconies, towers and domed kiosks at the upper levels.